St. Cuthbert
Saint Cuthbert of the Cudgel is the combative deity of Wisdom, Dedication, and Zeal. * Intermediate Deity * Symbol: Ruby-studded starburst * Home Plane: Arcadia * Alignment: Lawful neutral * Portfolio: Retribution, common, sense, wisdom, zeal, honesty, truth, discipline * Worshipers: Fighters, monks,j udges, constables * Cleric Alignments: LG, LN * Domains: Destruction, Law, Protection, Strength * Favored Weapon: Mace The deity of retribution, St. Cuthbert (saint cuhth-burt), takes many forms. He often masquerades as a common yokel or whitehaired, mustached man in plate mail. He usually carries his famous mace. St. Cuthbert exacts revenge and just punishment on those who transgress the law. Because evil creatures more commonly and flagrantly violate laws than good creatures do, St. Cuthbert favors good over evil, though he is not good himself. He may have once been a mortal man and an Ethosian Saint, but his methods differed from that of the Vatic of Hilsyren and he went his own way with no animosity. Dogma The words of St. Cuthbert are wise, practical, and sensible. Among his followers, the Word of the Cudgel is law, and his followers take pains to spread the word so that may all may benefit from St. Cuthbert’s wisdom. Weakness in faith and acting against the Saint’s teachings are intolerable, especially in believers. St. Cuthbert exhorts his followers to make increasing efforts to bring unbelievers into the fold. Honesty, truthfulness, practicality, and reasonability are the highest virtues, says St. Cuthbert. Clergy and Temples Clerics of the Cudgel are stern folk who speak their minds plainly. They do not suffer fools and disapprove of those who backslide in faith. They train in the arts of war and keep themselves physically fit. Many serve as constables, detectives, judges, and bounty hunters. Temples of St. Cuthbert are always solid and imposing. Their entrances or facades invariably feature inscriptions of quotations attributed to the Cudgel. These can be inspirational, such as: “Chaos and evil prevail where good folk do nothing.” Or even threatening, such as: “Obstinacy brings lumps to the heads of the unfaithful.” Do's and Dont's How the faith handles these common issues: * Adultery ** Relations out of wedlock accepted, but those who break a marriages bond will be punished by giving reparations to the other party. * Indulgence ** In times of celebration this is fine, but one must always be vigil and capable to administer justice. * Narcotics ** If they are illegal in the land they currently reside they are not permitted, but otherwise as long as they do not inhibit their ability to function, they have no issues with them. * Killing ** In the name of vengeance evil may be slain, but the innocent must be protected. It is prefered that those who can, be caught and punished for their crimes. * Locale Laws ** Always upheld to the highest degree. * Lying ** Honesty, truthfulness, practicality, and reasonability are the highest virtues, and must be avoided at all costs, as they can lead down the road of criminality. * Other Faiths ** All those of lawful dispositions who care for others are respected, those who are evil in nature are respected as noble enemies, but their ways must not be allowed to corrupt the innocent. * Pride ** Having pride in what one does is permitable but this must never reach arrogance. Many members of the faith forsake any sort of pride, happy to look like travelling vagabonds, so they can concentrate on justice and not glory. * Prejudice ** What lies in someones heart and is conducted in their deeds is what is most important, race and personal tastes that do not contract dict the laws are of no consequence as long as they do not harm the innocent. * Race ** What is in side is more important that the outside. * Stealing ** Never unless it is the bounty found in the hands of enemies and cannot be returned to another more righteous original owner. * Wealth ** They seek no wealth except that that would help them in their battles against evil. Worshipers Cuthbertines (that is, worshipers of Saint Cuthbert) are most prevalent in the western Eyshabreen and a some lands near Hilsyren. These churches can be large cathedrals, but most commonly are wayside shrines and small, crude chapels. Clergy Saint Cuthbert's priesthood is divided into three major orders. * The Chapeaux, whose symbol is a crumpled hat, seek to convert people into their faith. They are equally divided between lawful good and lawful neutral characters. Paladins of Saint Cuthbert, known as Votaries or Communicants, have an honorary position in the Order of the Chapeaux. Their role is not just to convert others, but to actually fight enemies of the faith. * The Stars, whose symbol is a starburst, seek to enforce doctrinal purity among those already dedicated to the saint. Most are lawful neutral, and they do not shy from using mind-reading magic in order to ensure that even the private thoughts of their flock are pure. * The Billets are the most numerous of Saint Cuthbert's clergy. Most are lawful good, and they seek to minister to and protect the faithful. These are well-beloved by the common folk. Their symbol is a wooden club. The Chapeaux often come into conflict with the Billets, because the former order wants to seek new converts while the latter wants to care for the worshipers they already have. Minor orders There are a few lesser-known orders of St. Cuthbert. * L'Ordre de la Croix-Rose Veritas, or the Order of the Rosy Cross of Truth, was founded in 587qc after the Dragon Rage Wars. It was founded by Ormus, a former priest of Raoonly just converted to Saint Cuthbert's faith himself. When Ormus discovered an evil warlord had been corrupted by a devil in disguise, he founded the new order in order to track down other devils living among mortals in disguise. The order has three branches: La Croix-Vert, La Croix-Blanc, and La Croix-Bleu. * The Society of the Sanctified Mind focuses on ridding the world of evil mind readers. It was founded c. 761qc by a cleric of Saint Cuthbert named Sir Jeremy Costineux, after his home village was enslaved by drow. This society is a knightly order rather than a strictly religious one, and people of a wide variety of character classes belong to it. Temples Saint Cuthbert's churches can be large cathedrals, but most commonly are wayside shrines and small, crude chapels. One of his largest churchs is that built in the Court of Arden where he works as part of the Triumbrant of Justice with his allies Fryknoss and Suxabra where they work to hunt down, judge, and punish those who commit crimes that cross the borders of the provinces or those committed by the lords of the lands themselves. Holy Days * Saint Cuthbert's Day. Celebrated on the 4th day of Apron, Saint Cuthbert's Day is the largest festival celebrated by Saint Cuthbert's church. It involves locals and pilgrims gathering at a city's gate at dawn and parading and singing along a major road until they reach the local shrine or temple. Children swipe at everyone within reach with switches in a custom known as "the cleansing." At their destination, a cleric brings out a replica of the Mace of Cuthbert and there is a great feast from noon until dusk, and then a bonfire from sundown until midnight that the faithful believe can remove curses and misfortune. * Breadgiving Day. This is a new event that began only after the Shadow Reign or Drow War, originally as a charitable event for refugees. Subsequently, it has become a day dedicated to feeding the hungry in general. Cuthbertines take the opportunity to preach and gain converts, and provide security for the event. The faiths of Pelor and Ibranwy also participate. Artifacts and relics Saint Cuthbert wields a powerful artifact called the Mace of Cuthbert. Other magic items associated with Saint Cuthbert include the cudgel that never forgets and the tabard of the great crusade. Myths and legends * The Saint Among Us. This is a story of Saint Cuthbert's origins as a mortal shepherd who long ago lived a simple, blameless, charitable life. He was rewarded by the Ethos by being brought to Hilsyren where he walked the world as a holy man teaching evil the error of its ways. His ways conflicted with the growing Vatic church of the Ethos and he went his own way. Eventually he became a god; the tale attempts to guide others by example. * Parables of the Wise Fool. The dogmatically correct stories that the Tales of the Vulgar Fool work of heresy is a parody of, these stories involve agriculture, animal husbandry, crafts, fending off beasts, fighting, and other common activities. The protagonist, the Wise Fool, is normally portrayed much as Saint Cuthbert is, as a young or middle-aged man with a crumpled hat, who shows up well-meaning but self-important antagonists with simple common sense. Many of the most common sayings used in the Cuthbertine faith are attributed to the Wise Fool. These books are often illustrated, and simple paintings of the Wise Fool are common on rural chapels and the like. * The Boy Who Cried Wolf. This story, possibly brought by Saint Cuthbert himself from another land, tells of a shepherd boy who tells lies about a wolf attack and is consequently not believed when a wolf actually attacks. A variation of this story is "The Boy Who Cried Orc."